Palestinian Public Opinion Polls:
Attitudes on Jerusalem

With regards to Jerusalem, please indicate which of the following options you consider to be essential, desirable, acceptable, tolerable and unacceptable. (AWRAD, August 2010)

Essential

Desirable

Acceptable

Tolerable

Unacceptable

All of Jerusalem (East and West) should remain in Palestine

84.1%

10.3%

2.2%

1.6%

1.7%

Jerusalem should be internationalized as a city of peace under the authority of a Multi-faith Municipal Covenant

12.9%

15.6%

17.5%

14.7%

39.3%

Jerusalem should be divided into East and West along the pre-1967 border

10.4%

10.8%

11.9%

16.6%

50.3%

Jerusalem should be internationalized as a city of peace under the authority of the UN

10.8%

11.9%

11.9%

14.6%

50.9%

Divide the city according to Palestinian and Israeli current neighborhoods

6.3%

9.6%

13.1%

16.9%

54.1%

In your opinion what is the importance of Jerusalem
to the Palestinians? Is it religious, political, economical or other
specify? (Source: JMCC Poll, September 2001)

Total

West Bank

Gaza Strip

n= 1198

n=758

n=440

Religious

82.6

78.8

89.3

Political

9.2

13.1

2.5

Economical

0.8

1.1

0.2

Religious and political

1.5

2.0

0.7

All the above

4.9

4.0

6.6

Religious and Economical

0.2

0.3

0.0

No answer

0.8

0.7

0.7

From your point of views how important is Jerusalem
to the Palestinian would you say, it is very important, somewhat important,
somewhat not important, not important at all? (Source: JMCC Poll,
September 2001)

Total

West Bank

Gaza Strip

n= 1198

n=758

n=440

It is very important

96.5

95.3

98.6

Somewhat important

2.3

3.2

0.7

Somewhat not important

0.0

0.0

0.0

Very little important

0.5

0.8

0.0

No answer

0.7

0.7

0.7

In your opinion what is the importance of Jerusalem
to the Israelis? Is it, Religious political, economical or other specify? (Source: JMCC Poll, September 2001)

Total

West Bank

Gaza Strip

n= 1198

n=758

n=440

Religious

36.8

36.7

37.0

Political

40.2

44.1

33.6

Economical

14.8

10.8

21.6

Religious and political

1.3

2.1

0.0

All the above

1.2

1.1

1.4

Political and Economical

0.5

0.8

0.0

Historical

0.1

0.1

0.0

Touristic

0.3

0.3

0.2

No answer

4.8

4.0

6.2

From your point of view how important is Jerusalem
to the Israelis would you say: it very important, somewhat important,
somewhat not important or not important at all? (Source: JMCC Poll,
September 2001)

Total

West Bank

Gaza Strip

n= 1198

n=758

n=440

It is very important

51.6

57.5

41.4

Somewhat important

23

17.8

31.8

Somewhat not important

11.4

9.5

14.8

Very little important

9.1

10.7

6.4

No answer

4.9

4.5

5.6

What, in your opinion, is the best and final solution
to the Jerusalem problem? (JMCC, Jerusalem Arab Residents Attitudes)

Palestinian Authority

PA

Palestinian Authority

Palestinian Authority

Total (8/95)

Total (2/99)

Total (8/99)

Total (12/99)

Total (3/00)

Total (9/01)

Muslims (8/95)

Christians (8/95)

A confederation between Israel and the Palestinian State

--

--

--

--

3.6

--

--

Unified capital of Israel

0.4

0.5

0.1

0.8

0.2

0.5

--

A Jewish state in the entire territory west of the Jordan river

--

--

--

--

1.2

--

--

Unified capital of Palestine

--

9.4

48.9

32.9

42.6

--

--

Capital of Palestine

--

20.1

--

--

--

--

A Palestinian state in the entire territory west of the Jordan
river

--

--

--

--

35.5

--

--

Capital of Muslims (Capital of Islamic State)

--

2.4

24.3

25.0

--

28.2

--

--

An Islamic state in the entire territory, west of the Jordan river

--

--

--

--

42.8

--

--

An independent Palestinian state with entire sovereignty

--

--

--

--

6.6

--

--

A confederation with Jordan

--

--

--

--

1.2

--

--

The Jews leave Palestine

--

--

--

--

1.2

East Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian State and West
Jerusalem as the capital of Israel

41.5

3.3

10.4

18.6

--

17.9

43.4

25.5

International Jerusalem

23.3

17.1

6.7

9.1

--

4.8

21.8

35.3

Jerusalem as an open city and a capital of the two states

15.3

--

5.1

7.6

--

2.4

14.2

25.5

Jerusalem as an open city and capital of Palestine

--

13.2

--

--

--

--

--

West Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, the Old City is under
a joint sovereignty & East Jerusalem is under Palestinian sovereignty

6.7

3.3

2.9

4.4

--

2.3

6.7

6.8

There is no solution to this conflict

4.8

Other

7.0

0.4

1.6

0.3

1.8

7.7

2.0

No opinion / Don't Know

5.7

3.3

--

1.3

1.3

5.7

3.9

What, in your opinion, is the best and final solution
to the Jerusalem problem? (JMCC, Jerusalem Arab Residents Attitudes)

Israel

Israel

Israel

Total (2/99)

Total (3/00)

Arabs (2/99)

Arabs (12/99)

Jews (2/99)

Jews (12/99)

A confederation between Israel and the Palestinian State

--

7.7

--

--

--

--

Unified capital of Israel

52.1

--

2.1

3.8

59.3

81.0

A Jewish state in the entire territory west of the Jordan river

--

57.2

--

--

--

--

Unified capital of Palestine

--

--

--

18.8

--

1.1

Capital of Palestine

--

--

---

--

--

A Palestinian state in the entire territory west of the Jordan
river

--

5.2

--

--

--

--

Capital of Muslims (Capital of Islamic State)

--

---

--

--

--

An Islamic state in the entire territory, west of the Jordan river

--

3.9

--

--

--

--

An independent Palestinian state with entire sovereignty

--

--

--

--

--

A confederation with Jordan

--

--

---

---

--

The Jews leave Palestine

East Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian State and West
Jerusalem as the capital of Israel

8.5

33.2

36.7

5.0

4.0

International Jerusalem

11.4

16.7

9.4

10.0

4.2

Jerusalem as an open city and a capital of the two states

--

--

12.4

--

3.0

Jerusalem as an open city and capital of Palestine

11.6

33.2

12.4

5.0

West Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, the Old City is under
a joint sovereignty & East Jerusalem is under Palestinian sovereignty

If the issue of Jerusalem is the last obstacle to
the signing of the peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians,
will you then agree that the city of Jerusalem will remain the unified
capital of Israel? (Source: JMCC Poll, December 1999)

Israeli Total

Israeli Jews

Israeli Arabs

n. = 1002

n. = 502

n. = 500

Agree

34.1

27.8

85.5

Disagree

59.1

65.6

6.6

Don't know

6.8

6.7

7.9

Some people think that the Palestinian Authority
cares about Jerusalem issue, others believe that the Palestinian Authority
ignores it, what do you think: (Source: JMCC, August 1999)

Total

West Bank

Gaza Strip

The Palestinain Authority cares about Jerusalem issue

33.3

35.4

29.5

The Palestinian Authority doesn't care enough about Jerusalem
issue

44.5

40.6

51.3

The Palestinian Authority doesn't care about Jerusalem issue

17.5

18.2

16.5

No answer

4.7

5.8

2.7

During the current final status negotiations on
Jerusalem there are suggestions of compromised solutions including:
The Palestinian Authority will have total responsibility over religious
sites, the Aqsa and Holy Sepulchre, as well as administrative responsibilities
over East Jerusalem. The capital of Palestinian will become parts of
Jerusalem neighborhoods such as Abu Dees while postponing final resolution
of the political future of east Jerusalem to the future. What is your
opinion of this suggested solution? (Source: JMCC Poll, June 2000)

Total

West Bank

Gaza Strip

n= 1200

n=762

n=438

The mentioned solution is acceptable

6.2

5.4

7.3

The mentioned solution should be studied and deeply thought of
before making a viewpoint on it

26.3

28.6

22.4

The mentioned solution is unacceptable

62.3

59.1

68.0

I don't know

3.8

4.9

2.1

No answer

1.4

2.0

0.2

What is more important reaching a fair solution
to Jerusalem's issue or reaching a fair solution to refugees issue? (Source: JMCC Poll, March 2000)

Total

West Bank

Gaza Strip

n= 1200

n=762

n=438

Jerusalem issue

33.0

35.6

28.5

Refugees issue

12.3

14.0

9.1

Both are equally important

52.3

47.8

60.3

I don't know

0.0

0.0

0.0

No answer

2.4

2.6

2.1

(Israeli View) Looking at the issue of JERUSALEM, the
Israeli position on this issue was: Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem
which will also include "Maale Edomim" "Gush Etzion" and "Givat Zeev".
The Capital of the Palestinian State, will be established in neighborhoods
currently part of east Jerusalem and will be named El Kuds. Palestinians
will have full sovereignty over some of these neighborhoods and wide
authonomy in others. A special arrangement with the Palestinians will
take place in the "Old City" under overall Israeli sovereignty. Palestinians
will also be the guarantors in "Har Habait".

Would you say that Israel's position on Jerusalem
was right, that Israel could compromise more, or that Israel made already
too much of a compromise? (Source: PSR, July 2000)

ISRAEL Total

This is the right position

27.9

Israel could compromise more

16.4

Israel made too much of a compromise

55.7

Looking at the issue of Jerusalem, the Palestinian
side demanded full sovereignty over the Arab neighborhoods and
holy places in East Jerusalem. Some media reports say also that
the Palestinian side agreed to allow Israel to annex the settlements
of Ma'aleh Adumim, Givat Zeev, and Gush Etzion, to become part
of West Jerusalem and to put the Jewish Quarter and the Wailing
Wall under Israeli sovereignty. What is your opinion of this position? (Source: PSR, July 2000)

Total%

West Bank%

Gaza Strip%

1.This position is just right

27.1

27.6

26.3

2. Not enough of a compromise

8.9

6.9

11.9

3. Too much of a compromise

57.1

57.2

57.0

4. Don't know

7.0

8.4

4.8

Jerusalem has been closed in front of the people from
West Bank and Gaza for several years, how did it affect the following
aspects in your life? (Source: JMCC Poll, August 1999)

Commerce in general:

Total

West Bank

Gaza Strip

A very positive effect

0.4

0.6

0.1

A positive effect

2.4

3.5

0.5

It didn't have any effect

14.1

15.3

11.7

A negative effect

31.4

31.7

30.9

A very negative effect

47.8

45.9

51.3

No answer

3.9

3.0

5.5

Psychologically - feeling isolated:

Total

West Bank

Gaza Strip

A very positive effect

0.3

0.5

0.0

A positive effect

1.0

1.4

0.3

It didn't have any effect

8.8

10.0

6.6

A negative effect

34.4

36.7

30.4

A very negative effect

52.5

48.0

60.4

No answer

3.0

3.4

2.3

Family relations (with relatives in Jerusalem / West Bank):

Total

West Bank

Gaza Strip

A very positive effect

1.0

1.1

0.9

A positive effect

1.9

2.2

1.4

It didn't have any effect

27.3

28.2

25.9

A negative effect

27.8

31.5

21.3

A very negative effect

33.3

32.2

35.2

No answer

8.7

4.8

15.3

Work conditions:

Total

West Bank

Gaza Strip

A very positive effect

0.5

0.5

0.5

A positive effect

1.7

2.0

1.4

It didn't have any effect

23.7

24.9

21.5

A negative effect

23.6

25.0

21.0

A very negative effect

44.0

44.8

42.6

No answer

6.5

2.8

13.0

Freedom of movement:

Total

West Bank

Gaza Strip

A very positive effect

0.3

0.4

0.0

A positive effect

1.7

1.4

2.1

It didn't have any effect

14.0

17.3

8.2

A negative effect

32.5

31.2

34.8

A very negative effect

48.5

47.3

50.8

No answer

3.0

2.4

4.1

Cultural opportunities:

Total

West Bank

Gaza Strip

A very positive effect

0.3

0.1

0.6

A positive effect

2.7

2.1

3.7

It didn't have any effect

27.4

28.7

25.5

A negative effect

28.0

29.9

24.7

A very negative effect

33.3

32.6

34.6

No answer

8.3

6.6

11.2

To what extent, do you agree or disagree to the
argument that Jerusalem is already practically divided between East
and West? (Source: JMCC Poll, February 1999)

Israel

Palestinian Authority

Arabs

Jews

Total

West Bank

Gaza

Total

Strongly agree

20.2

18.3

18.6

20.5

5.7

15.1

Agree

43.1

29.9

30.6

37.0

25.9

33.0

Fairly disagree

18.2

14.2

14.7

15.0

31.1

20.9

Strongly disagree

9.3

34.4

31.7

22.6

33.6

26.6

Don't know

9.2

3.2

3.9

4.9

3.6

4.4

In the framework of the final status negotiations,
do you support the idea that says that Jerusalem remains unified and
a capital of Israel, and to have Jerusalem (Abu Deis), which lies outside
the boundaries of present Jerusalem, as the Palestinian Capital, and
provided that the Aqasa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock be outside Israel's
sovereignty and administered by the Palestinian? (Source: JMCC Poll,
December 1996)

Total

West Bank

Gaza Strip

Agree

9.0%

9.5%

8.1%

Disagree

85.0%

83.4%

88.1%

No opinion

6.0%

7.1%

3.8%

Are you.... (Source: JMCC Poll, March 1996)

Total

In support of seperating East Jerusalem from West Jerusalem

20.9

In support of seperating East Jerusalem from West Jerusalem only
if East Jerusalem becomes a part of the West Bank

11.4

I am against seperating East from West Jerusalem

45.2

Other

1.1

Refused to answer

21.3

More than three years since the peace process began,
how do you feel about Jerusalem? (JMCC, Jerusalem Arab Residents
Attitudes, August 1995)

Total

Muslims

Christians

Very optimistic

8.0

9.0

--

Somewhat optimistic

34.4

34.3

31.4

No opinion

24.7

23.9

21.6

Somewhat pessimistic

21.9

22.0

21.6

Very pessimistic

11.1

10.6

11.7

Do you think the Palestinian Authority is doing
enough on the issue of Jerusalem? (JMCC, Jerusalem Arab Residents
Attitudes, August 1995)

Total

Muslims

Christians

Yes

38.9

40.8

25.5

No

49.7

47.3

60.8

No opinion

11.4

10.9

13.7

Which passport would you prefer to have? (JMCC,
Jerusalem Arab Residents Attitudes, August 1995)

Total

Muslims

Christians

Jordanian

16.4

14.8

29.4

Israeli

9.2

9.0

9.8

Palestinian

66.1

68.0

51.0

No opinion

8.4

8.1

9.8

Do you agree with the steps taken by some Jerusalem
Palestinians, who have obtained Israeli passports? (JMCC, Jerusalem
Arab Residents Attitudes, August 1995)

Total

Muslims

Christians

Yes

10.6

10.4

11.8

No

78.9

80.8

72.5

No opinion

10.5

9.5

15.7

If Israeli elections for the Jerusalem Municipality
were held today, would you participate? (JMCC, Jerusalem Arab Residents
Attitudes, August 1995)

Total

Muslims

Christians

Yes

13.1

12.8

--

No

83.2

83.8

82.4

No opinion

3.7

3.4

3.9

To what extent is it true that the way the Palestinians
landlords in Jerusalem dealt with their tenants contributed to the city's
eviction of its Palestinian occupants? (JMCC, Jerusalem Arab Residents
Attitudes, August 1995)

Total

Muslims

Christian

Very true

54.8

56.1

47.1

Somewhat true

30.1

29.7

33.3

It had no effect

11.2

10.9

13.7

No opinion

3.9

3.2

5.9

What, would you say, is the main problem which Palestinian
Jerusalem residents face? (JMCC, Jerusalem Arab Residents Attitudes,
August 1995)

Total

Muslims

Christians

Taxes

22.5

22.5

23.5

Housing/Building permits

25.6

25.1

33.3

Closure/Feeling of isolation

16.0

15.8

15.6

Settlements/Occupation

7.1

8.1

--

General situation

11.7

11.4

11.8

Racism

3.9

3.5

7.8

Other (including imprisonment, drugs and social breakdown)

5.4

5.5

6.0

No opinion

7.8

8.1

2.0

Do you believe it is possible to reach a just and
comprehensive political solution while there are still Israeli settlements
in East Jerusalem? (JMCC, Jerusalem Arab Residents Attitudes, August
1995)

Total

Muslims

Christians

Yes

9.8

9.0

15.7

No

84.3

85.4

76.5

No opinion

5.9

5.5

7.8

Would you approve putting Jerusalem under international
supervision? (JMCC, Jerusalem Arab Residents Attitudes, August 1995)

Total

Muslims

Christians

Yes

49.9

47.3

60.8

No

46.2

47.8

37.3

No opinion

3.9

9.0

2.0

How long, do you think, will it be before there is
a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital? (JMCC, Jerusalem
Arab Residents Attitudes, August 1995)

Total

Muslims

Christianss

Less than 10 years

28.5

28.7

30.0

10-20 years

16.5

16.0

19.6

20-50 years

9.8

10.8

9.8

50-100 years

2.6

2.5

3.9

Many years

13.4

13.0

13.5

Never

9.2

9.3

9.6

No opinion

20.0

18.8

13.6

If you have a choice between war and continued Israeli
control over Jerusalem, what will you choose? (JMCC, Jerusalem Arab
Residents Attitudes, August 1995)